Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi is considering a summer move for midfielder Arthur Vermeeren, according to a report from Bild. The 21-year-old Belgian is currently on loan at Marseille from RB Leipzig, but the French club are not expected to activate a €20 million purchase option, potentially making him available. De Zerbi, who managed Vermeeren at Marseille this season, is reportedly studying the possibility of bringing the player to North London as he reshapes the Spurs squad.
This potential transfer would see Tottenham pay a fee in the region of €20 million, which is notably below Vermeeren's Estimated Transfer Value of €27.7 million. The move would represent a significant reunion, as De Zerbi's relationship with the player has been complex. The Italian coach initially hailed Vermeeren as the "present and future of Marseille" but later offered a more critical assessment, dropping him and stating he had not seen him play well physically or mentally.
Vermeeren's career has already seen him feature for Royal Antwerp, Atletico Madrid, and RB Leipzig before his loan to Marseille. His season in Ligue 1 has been mixed; he started strongly but has struggled for consistency and a regular starting role in recent months. This form raises questions about his readiness to make an immediate impact in the Premier League, with data analytics suggesting he would initially provide backup in the Tottenham midfield.
For Tottenham, the signing would align with a strategy of seeking value in the market, acquiring a young player with a high perceived ceiling for a relatively modest fee. The club has already moved to secure free agents Marcos Senesi and Andrew Robertson, pending their Premier League survival. Vermeeren would join a midfield group that includes promising youngsters Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, indicating potential competition for places in the long term.
Inter Milan are also reported to be monitoring Vermeeren, which could provide competition for his signature. For RB Leipzig, a permanent sale around the €20 million mark would represent a straightforward resolution, with the player seemingly not in their long-term plans. The transfer would continue De Zerbi's trend of working with familiar players as he builds a squad capable of moving Tottenham away from the relegation battles that have defined their last two seasons.
